Welding condition determining method, and welding device

ABSTRACT

A method to determine welding conditions includes relational expressions or tables about various parameters for setting welding conditions. The method can determine and display the recommended values for the welding conditions which are suitable for the information about the object to be welded and the information about the welding method set by the operator. The welding conditions include a welding current, a welding voltage, a wire feed speed, a welding speed, and a leg length. Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended value for a welding condition to a new value, the method can determine new recommended values for the other welding conditions compatible with the new value and display the new recommended values.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method to determine weldingconditions suitable for an object to be welded (base material) inconsumable electrode arc welding in which an arc is created between anelectrode wire and the object. The invention also relates to a weldingdevice which can determine the welding conditions.

BACKGROUND ART

In conventional arc welding, welding operators set welding conditionssuch as welding current, welding voltage, and welding speed to thewelding device according to their knowledge and experience. Then, theoperators repeatedly change welding conditions while verifying thewelding results, and finally find the optimum welding conditions.

There are well-known welding machines including an encoder which isgenerally called a jog dial, and a light emitting diode (LED) displaydevice with which allow operators to set welding conditions (see, forexample, Patent Literature 1).

Expert operators may set welding conditions in a comparatively shorttime according to their knowledge and experience. Inexperiencedoperators who are growing in number these days, however, often spend alot of time and waste a lot of objects before setting optimum weldingconditions.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

-   Patent Literature 1: Design registration No. 1274142

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method fordetermining welding conditions and a welding device which can easilycalculate welding conditions.

To solve the above-described problems, a method of the present inventionto determine welding conditions includes the following steps: a firststep of receiving object-to-be-welded information, which is informationabout an object to be welded; a second step of receiving welding methodinformation, which is information about an arc welding method; a thirdstep of determining a quantity of arc heat, which is a quantity of heatof an arc created between an electrode wire and an object to be weldedbased on the object-to-be-welded information and the welding methodinformation; a fourth step of determining a recommended value for a wirefeed speed, a recommended value for a leg length, a recommended valuefor a welding speed, a recommended value for a welding current, and arecommended value for a welding voltage based on the object-to-be-weldedinformation, the welding method information, and the quantity of archeat; a feed speed calculation step of, if at least one of the leglength and the welding speed which are displayed as welding conditionsafter the fourth step is changed to a value different from therecommended values determined in the fourth step, calculating the wirefeed speed from the after-change value, based on a formula forcalculating the wire feed speed, which is in proportion to a square ofthe leg length and also in proportion to the welding speed; a currentvalue calculation step of calculating the welding current from the wirefeed speed calculated in the feed speed calculation step based either ona formula for calculating the welding current, which increases with anincrease in the wire feed speed or on a table showing a relation betweenthe wire feed speed and the welding current; and a voltage valuecalculation step of calculating the welding voltage from the weldingcurrent calculated in the current value calculation step. The weldingcurrent calculated in the current value calculation step and the weldingvoltage calculated in the voltage value calculation step are determinedto be a new recommended value for the welding current and a newrecommended value for the welding voltage, respectively.

This method can determine and display the recommended values for thewelding conditions which are suitable for the information about theobject to be welded and the information about the welding method set bythe operator. The welding conditions include a welding current, awelding voltage, a wire feed speed, a welding speed, and a leg length.Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended value for a weldingcondition to a new value, the method can determine new recommendedvalues for the other welding conditions compatible with the new valueand display the new recommended values.

This reduces the operator's time and effort to determine the weldingconditions, thereby reducing the operator's burden to set weldingconditions. This also reduces the amount of objects wasted until thedefinitive welding conditions are determined.

Another method of the present invention to determine welding conditionsincludes the following steps: a first step of receivingobject-to-be-welded information, which is information about an object tobe welded; a second step of receiving welding method information, whichis information about an arc welding method; a third step of determininga quantity of arc heat, which is a quantity of heat of an arc createdbetween an electrode wire and an object to be welded based on theobject-to-be-welded information and the welding method information; afourth step of determining a recommended value for a wire feed speed, arecommended value for a leg length, a recommended value for a weldingspeed, a recommended value for a welding current, and a recommendedvalue for a welding voltage based on the object-to-be-weldedinformation, the welding method information, and the quantity of archeat; a current value/voltage value calculation step of calculating thewelding current and the welding voltage from an integrated value basedon a relational expression or table showing a relation between thewelding current and the welding voltage if the welding speed displayedas a welding condition after the fourth step is changed to a valuedifferent from the recommended value for the welding speed, theintegrated value being calculated from the already-determined quantityof arc heat and the displayed after-change value of the welding speedbased on a formula for calculating the quantity of arc heat, which is inproportion to the welding current and the welding voltage and is ininverse proportion to the welding speed. When the displayed weldingspeed is changed, the welding current and the welding voltage calculatedin the current value/voltage value calculation step are determined to bea new recommended value for welding current and a new recommended valuefor the welding voltage, respectively.

This method can determine and display the recommended values for thewelding conditions which are suitable for the information about theobject to be welded and the information about the welding method set bythe operator. The welding conditions include a welding current, awelding voltage, a wire feed speed, a welding speed, and a leg length.Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended value for a weldingcondition to a new value, the method can determine new recommendedvalues for the other welding conditions compatible with the new valueand display the new recommended values.

This reduces the operator's time and effort to determine the weldingconditions, thereby reducing the operator's burden to set weldingconditions. This also reduces the amount of objects wasted until thedefinitive welding conditions are determined.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a welding device according toa first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an object to be welded in the first exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure to determine recommendedvalues for welding conditions in the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows the relation between board thickness and the quantity ofarc heat required for welding in the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a display screen of a setting device in thefirst exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows the relation between board thickness and the quantity ofarc heat required for welding, and the acceptable range of the quantityof arc heat in the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows the relation between the board thicknesses of differentjoints and the quantity of arc heat required for welding in the firstexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure to determine recommendedvalues for welding conditions in a second exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 shows the relation between the product of welding currentI×welding voltage V and wire feed speed WF in the second exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing another procedure to determine therecommended values for the welding conditions in the second exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 11 shows the relation between board thickness and welding speed inthe second exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12A is a first flowchart showing a procedure to determinerecommended values for welding conditions in a third exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12B is a second flowchart showing the procedure to determine therecommended values for the welding conditions in the third exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 13A is a first flowchart showing a procedure to determine otherrecommended values for the welding conditions in the third exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 13B is a second flowchart showing a procedure to determine theother recommended values for the welding conditions in the thirdexemplary embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS First Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a welding device according toa first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the welding device of the present first exemplaryembodiment, which is an arc welding device, includes manipulator 3,robot controller 4 for controlling the operation of manipulator 3, andsetting device 5. Manipulator 3 moves welding torch 2, which holdselectrode wire 1. Setting device 5 performs communications with robotcontroller 4 so as to set information to robot controller 4.

Robot controller 4 includes welding power supply 7, control unit 8,calculation unit 9, and storage unit 10. Welding power supply 7 supplieselectric power to wire 1 so that welding is applied to object 6 to bewelded. Control unit 8 controls the operations of manipulator 3 andwelding power supply 7. Calculation unit 9 performs calculations forwelding conditions. Storage unit 10 stores an operational program withwhich control unit 8 controls the operation of manipulator 3,mathematical formulas and tables that calculation unit 9 uses forcalculation, and calculation results. Welding power supply 7, which isdisposed in robot controller 4 as shown in FIG. 1, may alternatively bedisposed outside robot controller 4.

As will be described later, setting device 5 includesobject-to-be-welded information input unit 11 and welding methodinformation input unit 12. Object-to-be-welded information input unit 11receives information about object 6. Welding method information inputunit 12 receives information about the welding method. Setting device 5further includes leg length setting unit 13, welding speed setting unit14, and display unit 15. Leg length setting unit 13 sets or changes theleg length when object 6 is welded. Welding speed setting unit 14 setsor changes the welding speed. Display unit 15 displays variousinformation items.

The following is a description of a method to determine weldingconditions according to the present first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows an example of object 6 to be welded in the first exemplaryembodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure to determinerecommended values for the welding conditions in the first exemplaryembodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, a T joint consisting of upper board 16 and lowerboard 17 is going to be welded.

The present first exemplary embodiment first describes a method todetermine recommended values for a welding speed v, a welding current I,a welding voltage V, a wire feed speed WF, and a leg length S inresponse to the object-to-be-welded information and welding methodinformation which are entered by the operator through setting device 5to the welding device. These recommended values are displayed on displayunit 15 of setting device 5 so as to be provided as welding conditioninformation to the operator. The present first exemplary embodiment nextdescribes a method to determine new recommended values for the weldingspeed v, the welding current I, the welding voltage V, and the wire feedspeed WF when the operator changes the displayed recommended value forthe leg length to a new value. The new recommended values are displayedon display unit 15 so as to be provided as the welding conditions to theoperator.

The following is a description of the method to determine therecommended values for the welding current and the other weldingconditions when the operator enters the object-to-be-welded informationand the welding method information to the welding device.

In a first step S1 in FIG. 3, the operator enters object-to-be-weldedinformation about object 6 to the welding device throughobject-to-be-welded information input unit 11 of setting device 5. Theobject-to-be-welded information set in the first step S1 includes thematerials and thicknesses of upper and lower boards 16 and 17, and thejoint shape of object 6.

In a second step S2 in FIG. 3, the operator enters welding methodinformation, which is the information about the arc welding method, tothe welding device through welding method information input unit 12 ofsetting device 5. The welding information entered in the second step S2includes the following items: the use or non-use of pulse welding,indicating whether or not pulse welding is used in the arc welding, thepulse mode type, the shielding gas type, the extended length of thewelding wire, the method for controlling the wire feed, the material ofwire 1, and the diameter of wire 1.

The following is a description of determining a recommended value vr forthe welding speed, a recommended value WFr for the wire feed speed, arecommended value Ir for the welding current, a recommended value Vr forthe welding voltage, and a recommended value Sr for the leg length.

The recommended value vr for the welding speed is calculated as follows.

A plurality of pieces of information about the welding speed v, whichare associated with the object-to-be-welded information and the weldingmethod information are previously stored in the form of calculationformulas or tables in storage unit 10.

Calculation unit 9 selects one piece of information about the weldingspeed v as the recommended value vr for the welding speed from storageunit 10 based on the object-to-be-welded information and the weldingmethod information which are entered by the operator through settingdevice 5.

The recommended value WFr for the wire feed speed is calculated asfollows.

FIG. 4 shows the relation between board thickness and the quantity ofarc heat required for welding in the first exemplary embodiment.

Storage unit 10 previously stores a plurality of properties shown inFIG. 4, which are associated with the object-to-be-welded informationand the welding method information. FIG. 4 shows the relation between aboard thickness T and a quantity of arc heat Q to achieve satisfactorywelding. The board thickness T is the average value of a board thicknessT1 of upper board 16 and a board thickness T2 of lower board 17. Thequantity of arc heat Q indicates the quantity of heat of an arc createdbetween wire 1 and object 6. The board thickness T belongs to theobject-to-be-welded information, and the quantity of arc heat Q belongsto the welding method information. The meaning of “satisfactory welding”includes sufficient strength, non-defective weld bead, and noburn-through.

Calculation unit 9 selects one property shown in FIG. 4 from storageunit 10 based on the object-to-be-welded information and the weldingmethod information entered by the operator through setting device 5.Calculation unit 9 further calculates the board thickness T, which isthe average value of board thicknesses T1 and T2 of upper and lowerboards 16 and 17, respectively, entered by the operator through settingdevice 5. Calculation unit 9 further calculates a quantity of arc heatQn required between wire 1 and object 6 from the selected property andthe board thickness T shown in FIG. 4. This process is performed in athird step S3 shown in FIG. 3.

The wire feed speed WF increases with an increase in the quantity of archeat Q. Therefore, the relation between the quantity of arc heat Q andthe wire feed speed WF is uniquely determined based on the weldingmethod information. A plurality of pieces of information about therelation (mathematical formulas or tables) between the quantity of archeat Q and the wire feed speed WF, which are associated with the weldingmethod information are previously stored in storage unit 10.

Calculation unit 9 calculates the wire feed speed WF from the weldingmethod information entered in the second step S2, the information aboutthe relation between the quantity of arc heat Q and the wire feed speedWF stored in storage unit 10, and the above-determined quantity of archeat Qn. The wire feed speed WF is determined to be the recommendedvalue WFr.

The recommended value for the welding current I is calculated asfollows.

The welding current I increases with an increase in the wire feed speedWF. Therefore, the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I is uniquely determined based on the welding methodinformation. A plurality of pieces of information (mathematical formulasor tables) about the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I, which are associated with the welding methodinformation are previously stored in storage unit 10.

Calculation unit 9 calculates the welding current I from the informationabout the relation between the wire feed speed WF and the weldingcurrent I stored in storage unit 10, the welding method informationentered in the second step S2, and the above-calculated recommendedvalue WFr for the wire feed speed. The calculated welding current I isdetermined to be the recommended value Ir.

The recommended value Vr for the welding voltage V is calculated asfollows.

The quantity of arc heat Q, the welding current I, the welding voltageV, and the welding speed v are in the relation shown in MathematicalFormula 1, which is stored in storage unit 10.

Q=(I×V×60)/v  Mathematical Formula 1

Calculation unit 9 then calculates the product of the welding currentI×the welding voltage V from Mathematical Formula 1 stored in storageunit 10, the above-calculated recommended value vr for the weldingspeed, and the above-determined quantity of arc heat Qn.

Calculation unit 9 further calculates the welding voltage V from theproduct of the welding current I×the welding voltage V, and theabove-calculated recommended value Ir for the welding current. Thewelding voltage V is determined to be the recommended value Yr.

The recommended value Sr for the leg length S is calculated as follows.

The leg length S, a wire diameter d, the wire feed speed WF, and thewelding speed v are in the relation shown in Mathematical Formula 2,which is stored in storage unit 10.

S=d√((π×WF)/(2×v))  Mathematical Formula 2

Calculation unit 9 calculates the leg length S from Mathematical Formula2 stored in storage unit 10, the wire diameter d entered in the secondstep S2, the above-calculated recommended value WFr for the wire feedspeed, and the above-calculated recommended value vr for the weldingspeed. The leg length S is determined to be the recommended value Sr.

Display unit 15 of setting device 5 displays the recommended value vrfor the welding speed, the recommended value WFr for the wire feedspeed, the recommended value Ir for the welding current, the recommendedvalue Vr for the welding voltage, and the recommended value Sr for theleg length, which are calculated as above in calculation unit 9.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a display screen of the setting device in thefirst exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a display screen on display unit 15 ofsetting device 5. The example in FIG. 5 shows the followingobject-to-be-welded information: T joint; the board thickness of theupper board: 1.6 mm; and the lower board: 1.6 mm. The example furthershows the following recommended values: the welding speed v: 0.8 m/min;the welding current I: 120 A; the welding voltage V: 16.8V; and the leglength S: 3.5 mm.

Note that FIG. 5 does not show the recommended value WFr for the wirefeed speed. The reason is that the welding current I and the wire feedspeed WF are in proportion to each other, and that it is more common toset the welding current I than the wire feed speed WFr as a weldingcondition.

Thus, the recommended values for the welding current I and the otherconditions can be determined based on the object-to-be-weldedinformation and the welding method information. This process isperformed in a fourth step S4 shown in FIG. 3. The following is adescription of a method to determine and displaying new recommendedvalues for the welding speed v, the welding current I, the weldingvoltage V, and the wire feed speed WF when the operator changes thedisplayed recommended value Sr for the leg length to a new value.

The leg length S is an element to dominate the welded joint strength,and hence may be specified in the drawing for welding. Therefore,setting device 5 of the welding device according to the present firstexemplary embodiment includes leg length setting unit 13, which allowsthe operator to change the value of the leg length S by entering anarbitrary value.

The following is a description of a method to determine new recommendedvalues for the welding current I and the other welding conditionsassuming that the operator has changed the value of the leg length Sfrom the recommended value Sr to a leg length S1 through leg lengthsetting unit 13 of setting device 5 when the recommended value Sr isdisplayed on display unit 15 of setting device 5.

A new recommended value for the welding speed v is calculated asfollows.

As described above, calculation unit 9 selects one piece of informationabout welding speed v as the recommended value vr from storage unit 10based on the object-to-be-welded information and the welding methodinformation which are entered by the operator through setting device 5.Even when the recommended value Sr is changed to the leg length S1, therecommended value vr for the welding speed remains the same because theobject-to-be-welded information and the welding method informationremain the same.

A new recommended value for the wire feed speed WF is calculated asfollows.

Calculation unit 9 derives a formula for calculating the wire feed speed(Mathematical Formula 3) from Mathematical Formula 2 for calculating theleg length S stored in storage unit 10.

WF=(2×S ² ×v)/(π×d ²)  Mathematical Formula 3

Calculation unit 9 calculates a wire feed speed WF1 from MathematicalFormula 3, the after-change value S1 of the leg length, the recommendedvalue vr for the welding speed, and the wire diameter d, which is thediameter of wire 1 entered as the welding method information. The wirefeed speed WF1 is a new recommended value for the wire feed speed WF.This process is performed in a feed speed calculation step S5 shown inFIG. 3.

A new recommended value for the welding current I is calculated asfollows.

The welding current I increases with an increase in the wire feed speedWF. Therefore, the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I is uniquely determined based on the welding methodinformation. A plurality of pieces of information (mathematical formulasor tables) about the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I, which are associated with the welding methodinformation are previously stored in storage unit 10. Calculation unit 9calculates a welding current I1 from the information about the relationbetween the wire feed speed WF and the welding current I stored instorage unit 10, the welding method information entered in the secondstep S2, and the above-calculated new recommended value for the wirefeed speed WF. The welding current I1 is determined to be the newrecommended value for the welding current I. This process is performedin a current value calculation step S6 shown in FIG. 3.

A new recommended value for the welding voltage V is calculated asfollows.

The welding voltage V increases with an increase in the welding currentI. Therefore, the relation between the welding current I and the weldingvoltage V is uniquely determined based on the welding methodinformation. A plurality of pieces of information (mathematical formulasor tables) about the relation between the welding current I and thewelding voltage V, which are associated with the welding methodinformation are previously stored in storage unit 10.

Calculation unit 9 calculates a welding voltage V1 from the informationabout the relation between the welding current I and the welding voltageV stored in storage unit 10, and the above-calculated welding current I1(new recommended value). The welding voltage V1 is determined to be thenew recommended value. This process is performed in a voltage valuecalculation step S7 shown in FIG. 3.

As described above, when the leg length S is changed from therecommended value Sr to the leg length S1, the welding device candetermine the recommended value vr for the welding speed (no changes),and the new recommended value for the welding current I, the newrecommended value for the welding voltage V, and the new recommendedvalue of the wire feed speed WF. These values are displayed on displayunit 15 of setting device 5 so as to be provided as information to theoperator.

Note, however, that the welding device can provide the information aboutthe new recommended values for the welding current I1 and the otherconditions to the operator only when the leg length S1 which hasreplaced the recommended value has an appropriate value. The followingis a description of an example to determine whether or not the newrecommended values should be displayed on display unit 15, according tothe quantity of arc heat Q.

A quantity of arc heat Q1 in the after-change value S1 of the leg lengthis calculated from Mathematical Formula 1, the new recommended value forthe welding voltage V, the new recommended value for the welding currentI, and the recommended value vr for the welding speed. The quantity ofarc heat Q1, which is the quantity of heat of an arc created betweenwire 1 and object 6 is not uniquely determined with respect to theobject-to-be-welded information set in the first step S1.

FIG. 6 shows the relation between board thickness and the quantity ofarc heat required for welding, and the acceptable range of the quantityof arc heat in the first exemplary embodiment.

The inventors of the present invention have experimentally confirmedthat, as shown in FIG. 6, in the relation between board thickness andthe quantity of arc heat required for welding, the quantity of arc heatrequired for welding actually has conditional margins with upper andlower limits, and that the conditional margins tend to widen with anincrease in the board thickness T.

Therefore, when the operator sets the leg length S1 different from therecommended value, calculation unit 9 can calculate the quantity of archeat Q1 from the value of the welding current calculated in the currentvalue calculation step S6, the value of the welding voltage calculatedin the voltage value calculation step S7, and the recommended value vrfor the welding speed. This process is performed in a quantity of heatdetermination step S8 shown in FIG. 3. If the determined quantity of archeat Q1 is above the upper limit or below the lower limit of thequantity of arc heat Q predetermined and stored in storage unit 10, theleg length S1 set by the operator is determined to be outside theacceptable range.

Display unit 15 of setting device 5 displays that the leg length S1 setby the operator is outside the acceptable range according to thedetermination result. Display unit 15 does not display the newrecommended values for the welding current I1, the welding voltage V1,and the other conditions calculated as above. This can prevent theoperator from setting the new recommended values as the weldingconditions. Display unit 15 further displays a message to urge theoperator to enter a different leg length S1.

Assume, on the other hand, that the set leg length S1 is within theacceptable range. In this case, display unit 15 displays the calculatedvalues of the welding current I1, the welding voltage V1, and the otherwelding conditions as the new recommended values. This allows theoperator to set the new recommended values as the welding conditions.

As described above, the welding device and the method to determinewelding conditions of the present first exemplary embodiment candetermine and display the recommended values for welding conditionswhich are suitable for the information about the object to be welded andthe information about the welding method set by the operator. Thewelding conditions include the welding current I, the welding voltage V,the wire feed speed WF, the welding speed v, and the leg length S.Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended value for the leglength S to the leg length S1, the welding device and the method todetermine welding conditions can determine new recommended values forthe other welding conditions compatible with the after-change value S1of the leg length and display the new recommended values.

Thus, the welding device and the method to determine welding conditionsaccording to the present first exemplary embodiment can minimize theoperator's time and effort to determine the welding conditions, and theamount of objects wasted through trial and error.

The welding device performs calculations using the quantity of arc heatQ required for object 6, thereby providing appropriate weldingconditions whatever the combination of board thicknesses or whatever thejoint shape.

FIG. 7 shows the relation between the board thicknesses of differentjoints and the quantity of arc heat required for welding in the firstexemplary embodiment.

The welding device stores, in storage unit 10, information (calculationformulas or tables) of the properties indicating the relation betweenthe quantity of arc heat Q and the board thickness T for each joint asshown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The quantity of arc heat Q is determined basedon the entered object-to-be-welded information. The welding device thencalculates the recommended values for the welding conditions using thequantity of arc heat Q. The board thickness T shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 isthe average value of the board thicknesses of upper and lower boards 16and 17. Therefore, whatever the board thicknesses of upper and lowerboards 16 and 17, the welding device can calculate T as the averagevalue. The welding device can determine the quantity of arc heat Q basedon T, and can calculate the recommended values for the weldingconditions using the quantity of arc heat Q. Thus, the welding devicecan cope with any combination of the board thicknesses.

The welding device allows the operator to change the leg length S fromthe recommended value to a different value. If the leg length S is setoutside the acceptable range, a message indicating the leg length S isoutside the acceptable range is displayed, making the welding deviceextremely user-friendly.

There are different welding target positions and different welding torchangles depending on the object-to-be-welded information set in the firststep S1. Therefore, the welding device can also combine the appropriatecondition of the average board thickness (T) of upper and lower boards16 and 17, and the appropriate condition of the difference between theirthicknesses included in the object-to-be-welded information set in thefirst step S1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the welding device displays the torch angle and thetarget position on display unit 15 of setting device 5, therebyproviding them as information to the operator.

Thus, the method to determine welding conditions according to thepresent invention includes a first step S1, a second step S2, a thirdstep S3, a fourth step S4, a feed speed calculation step S5, a currentvalue calculation step S6, and a voltage value calculation step S7. Thefirst step S1 receives object-to-be-welded information, which isinformation about an object to be welded. The second step S2 receiveswelding method information, which is information about an arc weldingmethod. The third step S3 determines the quantity of arc heat Q, whichis the quantity of heat of an arc created between an electrode wire andan object to be welded based on the object-to-be-welded information andthe welding method information. The fourth step S4 determines therecommended value WFr for the wire feed speed, the recommended value Srfor the leg length, the recommended value vr for the welding speed, therecommended value Ir for the welding current, and the recommended valueVr for the welding voltage based on the object-to-be-welded information,the welding method information, and the quantity of arc heat Q. The feedspeed calculation step S5, if at least one of the leg length S and thewelding speed v which are displayed as welding conditions after thefourth step S4 is changed to a value different from the recommendedvalues determined in the fourth step, calculates the wire feed speed WFfrom the after-change value, based on the formula for calculating thewire feed speed, which is in proportion to the square of the leg lengthS and also in proportion to the welding speed v. The current valuecalculation step S6 calculates the welding current I from the wire feedspeed WF1 calculated in the feed speed calculation step S5 based eitheron a formula for calculating the welding current I, which increases withan increase in the wire feed speed WF, or on a table showing therelation between the wire feed speed WF and the welding current I. Thevoltage value calculation step S7 calculates the welding voltage V fromthe welding current I calculated in the current value calculation stepS6. The welding current I calculated in the current value calculationstep S6 and the welding voltage V calculated in the voltage valuecalculation step S7 are determined to be a new recommended value for thewelding current I and a new recommended value for the welding voltage V,respectively.

This method can determine and display the recommended values for thewelding conditions which are suitable for the information about theobject to be welded and the information about the welding method set bythe operator. The welding conditions include the welding current I, thewelding voltage V, the wire feed speed WF, the welding speed v, and theleg length S. Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended valuefor a welding condition to a new value, the method can determine newrecommended values for the other welding conditions compatible with thenew value and display the new recommended values.

This reduces the operator's time and effort to determine the weldingconditions, thereby reducing the operator's burden to set weldingconditions. This also reduces the amount of objects wasted until thedefinitive welding conditions are determined.

In the method to determine welding conditions according to the presentinvention, the feed speed calculation step S5 calculates the wire feedspeed WF1 if the leg length S displayed as a welding condition after thefourth step S4 is changed to a value different from the recommendedvalue for the leg length determined in the fourth step S4. The wire feedspeed WF1 is calculated from the after-change value S1 of the leg lengthand the recommended value vr for the welding speed based on the formulafor calculating the wire feed speed. The voltage value calculation stepS6 calculates the welding voltage V from the welding current Icalculated in the current value calculation step S6 based either on aformula for calculating the welding voltage V, which increases with anincrease in the welding current I, or on a table showing the relationbetween the welding current I and the welding voltage V. If thedisplayed leg length S is changed, the welding current I1 calculated inthe current value calculation step S6 and the welding voltage V1calculated in the voltage value calculation step S7 are determined to bethe new recommended value for the welding current I and the newrecommended value for the welding voltage V, respectively.

The method to determine welding conditions according to the presentinvention may further include a quantity of heat determination step S8of determining the quantity of arc heat Q from the welding current I1calculated in the current value calculation step S6, the welding voltageV1 calculated in the voltage value calculation step S7, and therecommended value vr for the welding speed. Only when the quantity ofarc heat Q1 determined in the quantity of heat determination step S8 iswithin the acceptable range, the welding current I1 calculated in thecurrent value calculation step S6 and the welding voltage V1 calculatedin the voltage value calculation step S7 are determined to be the newrecommended value for the welding current I and the new recommendedvalue for the welding voltage V, respectively.

This method can determine the recommended values for the welding currentI and the welding voltage V to generate an appropriate quantity of archeat Q.

Second Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure to determine recommendedvalues for welding conditions in a second exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

The welding device and the method to determine welding conditionsaccording to the present second exemplary embodiment will be describedmainly with reference to FIG. 8. The same components as in the firstexemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, andhence the description thereof will be omitted. The present secondexemplary embodiment differs from the first exemplary embodiment mainlyin the processes after the recommended values for welding conditions aredetermined based on the object-to-be-welded information and the weldingmethod information. In the first exemplary embodiment, the recommendedvalue Sr is changed to a new value for the leg length, and then newrecommended values for the other welding conditions are calculated. Inthe present second exemplary embodiment, on the other hand, therecommended value vr is changed to a new value for the welding speed,and then new recommended values for the other welding conditions arecalculated.

The following is a description of a method to determine and displayingnew recommended values for the welding current I, the welding voltage V,the wire feed speed WF, and the leg length S when the operator changesthe displayed recommended value vr for the welding speed to a new value.

As shown in FIG. 8, based on the object-to-be-welded information and thewelding method information, the following values are calculated: therecommended value vr for the welding speed, the recommended value Ir forthe welding current, the recommended value Vr for the welding voltage,the recommended value WFr for the wire feed speed, and the recommendedvalue Sr for the leg length. Since the processes up to the fourth stepS4 are identical to those in FIG. 3, the description of the fourth stepS4 is omitted and the subsequent processes will be described.

The welding speed v may be determined according to the task timebalance, and therefore, may be changed to a value different from therecommended value vr. Therefore, setting device 5 of the welding deviceaccording to the present second exemplary embodiment includes weldingspeed setting unit 14, which allows the operator to change the value ofthe welding speed v by entering an arbitrary value.

The following is a description of a method to determine new recommendedvalues for the welding current I and the other welding conditionsassuming that the operator has changed the value of the welding speed vfrom the recommended value vr to v2 through welding speed setting unit14 of setting device 5 when the recommended value vr is displayed ondisplay unit 15 of setting device 5.

New recommended values for the welding current I and the welding voltageV are calculated as follows.

Even when the welding speed v is changed from the recommended value vrto the new welding speed v2, the object-to-be-welded information and thewelding method information remain the same. Therefore, the boardthickness T, which is the average value of the board thicknesses T1 andT2 of upper and lower boards 16 and 17 as object 6, remain the same. Therelation between the board thickness T and the quantity of arc heat Qnshown in FIG. 4 also remains the same. As a result, the quantity of archeat Qn, which indicates the quantity of heat of an arc created betweenwire 1 and object 6, has the same value as in the first exemplaryembodiment.

Calculation unit 9 then calculates the product of a welding current I2×awelding voltage V2 in Mathematical Formula 1 from the quantity of archeat Qn, the new value v2 of the welding speed, and Mathematical Formula1.

The welding voltage V increases with an increase in the welding currentI. Therefore, the relation between the welding current I and the weldingvoltage V is uniquely determined based on the welding methodinformation. A plurality of pieces of information (mathematical formulasor tables) about the relation between the welding current I and thewelding voltage V, which are associated with the welding methodinformation are previously stored in storage unit 10. Calculation unit 9specifies one piece of information about the relation between thewelding current I and the welding voltage V based on the entered weldingmethod information. Calculation unit 9 then calculates the weldingcurrent I2 and the welding voltage V2 based on the specified piece ofinformation. Thus, one point is determined on the properties indicatingthe relation between the welding current I2 and the welding voltage V2because the product of the welding current I2×the welding voltage V2 isdetermined. The welding current I and the welding voltage V on thispoint become the welding current I2 and the welding voltage V2,respectively. This process is performed in a current value/voltage valuecalculation step S15 shown in FIG. 8.

A new recommended value for the wire feed speed WF is calculated asfollows.

The welding current I increases with an increase in the wire feed speedWF. Therefore, the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I is uniquely determined based on the welding methodinformation. A plurality of pieces of information (mathematical formulasor tables) about the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I, which are associated with the welding methodinformation are previously stored in storage unit 10.

Calculation unit 9 calculates a wire feed speed WF2 based on theinformation about the relation between the wire feed speed WF and thewelding current I stored in storage unit 10, the welding methodinformation entered in the second step S2, and the welding current I2,which is calculated above as the new recommended value. The wire feedspeed WF2 is determined to be the new recommended value. This process isperformed in a feed speed calculation step S16 shown in FIG. 8.

A new recommended value S2 for the leg length S is calculated asfollows.

As described in the first exemplary embodiment, the leg length S, thewire diameter d, the wire feed speed WF, and the welding speed v are inthe relation shown in Mathematical Formula 2, which is stored in storageunit 10.

Calculation unit 9 then calculates the recommended value S2 for the leglength S from Mathematical Formula 2 stored in storage unit 10, the wirediameter d entered in the second step S2, the above-calculated wire feedspeed WF2 (recommended value), and the welding speed v2 which hasreplaced the recommended value vr. This process is performed in a leglength calculation/acquisition step S17 shown in FIG. 8.

Thus, when the welding speed v is changed from the recommended value vrto a different value, the recommended values for the other weldingconditions can be calculated as described above. Then, the wire feedspeed WF2, the welding current I2, the welding voltage V2, and leglength S2 calculated in the calculation unit 9 are displayed as the newrecommended values on display unit 15 of setting device 5.

As described above, the method to determine welding conditions includesthe current value/voltage value calculation step S15 of calculating awelding current and a welding voltage after the fourth step S4.

When the welding speed v displayed as a welding condition is changed tothe value v2 different from the recommended value vr, the currentvalue/voltage value calculation step S15 calculates the welding currentI2 and the welding voltage V2 from an integrated value I2×V2 of thewelding current and the welding voltage based on a relational expressionor table showing the relation between welding current and weldingvoltage. The integrated value is calculated from the already-determinedquantity of arc heat Qn and the displayed after-change value of thewelding speed based on the formula for calculating the quantity of archeat. The formula is used to calculate the quantity of arc heat, whichis in proportion to the welding current and the welding voltage and isin inverse proportion to the welding speed.

Thus, when the displayed welding speed vr is changed, the weldingcurrent I2 and the welding voltage V2 calculated in the currentvalue/voltage value calculation step S15 are determined to be the newrecommended value for the welding current I and the new recommendedvalue for the welding voltage V, respectively.

This method can determine and display the recommended values for thewelding conditions which are suitable for the information about theobject to be welded and the information about the welding method set bythe operator. The welding conditions include a welding current, awelding voltage, a wire feed speed, a welding speed, and a leg length.Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended value for a weldingcondition to a new value, the method can determine new recommendedvalues for the other welding conditions compatible with the after-changevalue and display the new recommended values.

The method to determine welding conditions includes the feed speedcalculation step S16, and the leg length calculation step S17 after thecurrent value/voltage value acquisition step S15. The feed speedcalculation step S16 calculates the wire feed speed WF2 from the weldingcurrent I2 calculated in the current value/voltage value calculationstep S15 based on the relational expression or table between the weldingcurrent and the wire feed speed. The leg length calculation step S17calculates the leg length S2 from the wire feed speed WF2 calculated inthe feed speed calculation step S16.

Alternatively, the recommended values for welding conditions can becalculated by another approach as described below.

FIG. 9 shows the relation between the product of the welding currentI×the welding voltage V and the wire feed speed WF in the secondexemplary embodiment. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing another procedureto determine the recommended values for the welding conditions in thesecond exemplary embodiment. FIG. 11 shows the relation between boardthickness and welding speed in the second exemplary embodiment.

The inventors of the present invention have experimentally confirmedthat as shown in FIG. 9, the relation between the welding current I×thewelding voltage V, and the wire feed speed WF are in proportion to eachother. Assume that the welding speed vr is increased α-fold to become awelding speed v3. In this case, according to Mathematical Formula 1, theproduct of the welding current I3×the welding voltage V3 is alsorequired to be increased by a times the product of the welding currentIr×the welding voltage Vr in order to keep the quantity of arc heat Qconstant.

As shown in FIG. 9, the wire feed speed WF and the product of thewelding current I×the welding voltage V are in proportion to each other.Therefore, when the product of the welding current I×the welding voltageV is increased α-fold, the wire feed speed WF is also increased α-fold.In other words, when the welding speed vr is increased α-fold to becomethe welding speed v2, the wire feed speed WF2 is increased by a timesthe wire feed speed WFr. Thus, according to Mathematical Formula 2, evenwhen the welding speed v is changed, the leg length S remains the sameas long as the quantity of arc heat Q is kept constant. When the weldingspeed v is changed, the wire feed amount WF can be set to keep the leglength S constant, achieving appropriate welding with the same quantityof arc heat Q.

In the above-described example, when the recommended value vr for thewelding speed is changed to the welding speed v2, the welding current I2and the welding voltage V2 are obtained from calculation to keep thequantity of arc heat Q constant. Alternatively, the recommended valuesfor the welding conditions may be determined by another procedure whenthe relation shown in FIG. 9 is satisfied. To be more specific,calculation unit 9 calculates the wire feed speed WF2 based onMathematical Formula 3 so as to keep the leg length S constant.Calculation unit 9 then calculates the welding current I2 based on therelation (a calculation formula or table) indicating that the weldingcurrent I increases with an increase in the wire feed speed WF.Calculation unit 9 then calculates the welding voltage V2 based on therelation (a calculation formula or table) indicating that the weldingvoltage V2 increases with an increase in the welding current I2.

The above-described other method to determine welding conditionsaccording to the present second exemplary embodiment will be describedwith reference to FIG. 10.

In the method to determine welding conditions according to the presentsecond exemplary embodiment, when the recommended value vr is changed tothe welding speed v2, the fourth step S4 is followed by the feed speedcalculation step S5, the current value calculation step S6, and avoltage value calculation step S27. The welding current I2 calculated inthe current value calculation step S6, and the welding voltage V2calculated in the voltage value calculation step S27 are determined tobe the new recommended value for the welding current I and the newrecommended value for the welding voltage V, respectively.

To be more specific, the feed speed calculation step S5 calculates thewire feed speed WF2 if the welding speed v displayed after the fourthstep is changed to a value different from the recommended value vr. Thewire feed speed WF2 is calculated from the after-change value v2 of thewelding speed and the recommended value Sr for the leg length based onthe formula for calculating the wire feed speed.

The voltage value calculation step S27 calculates the welding voltage V2from the quantity of arc heat Qn determined in the third step S3, theafter-change value v2 of the welding speed, and the welding current I2calculated in the current value calculation step S6 based on the formulafor calculating the quantity of arc heat. The formula is used tocalculate the quantity of arc heat which is in proportion to the weldingcurrent and the welding voltage and is in inverse proportion to thewelding speed.

If the displayed welding speed vr is changed to the welding speed v2,the welding current I2 calculated in the current value calculation stepS6 and the welding voltage V2 calculated in the voltage valuecalculation step S27 are determined to be the new recommended value forthe welding current and the new recommended value for the weldingvoltage, respectively.

Thus, this method can determine and display the recommended values forwelding conditions which are suitable for the information about theobject to be welded and the information about welding method set by theoperator. The welding conditions include the welding current I, thewelding voltage V, the wire feed speed WF, the welding speed v, and theleg length S. Furthermore, if the operator changes the recommended valuevr for the feed speed to a new value, the method can determine newrecommended value for the other welding conditions compatible with theafter-change value v2 of the welding speed and display the newrecommended values.

There are different welding target positions and different welding torchangles depending on the object-to-be-welded information set in the firststep S1. Therefore, the welding device can also combine the appropriatecondition of the average board thickness (T) of upper and lower boards16 and 17 and the appropriate condition of the difference between theirthicknesses included in the object-to-be-welded information set in thefirst step S1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the torch angle and the target position aredisplayed on display unit 15 of setting device 5, thereby being providedas information to the operator. Note that the welding speed v is notuniquely determined with respect to the object-to-be-welded informationset in the first step S1.

In reality, as shown in FIG. 11, the welding speed has an upper limit.The inventors of the present invention have experimentally confirmedthat the upper limit of the welding speed tends to decrease with anincrease in the board thickness T.

Therefore, the welding speed v2, which is different from the recommendedvalue, may exceed the upper limit of the welding speed v stored instorage unit 10. In that case, the welding speed v2 set by the operatoris determined to be outside the acceptable range.

Display unit 15 of setting device 5 displays that the welding speed v2set by the operator is outside the acceptable range according to thedetermination result. Display unit 15 does not display the newrecommended values for the welding current I2, the welding voltage V2,and the other conditions calculated as above. This can prevent theoperator from setting the new recommended values as the weldingconditions. Display unit 15 further displays a message to urge theoperator to enter a different welding speed v2.

Assume, on the other hand, that the set welding speed v2 is within theacceptable range. In this case, display unit 15 displays the calculatedvalues of the welding current I2, the welding voltage V2, and the otherwelding conditions as the new recommended values. This allows theoperator to set the new recommended values as the welding conditions.

Third Exemplary Embodiment

FIGS. 12A and 12B are first and second flowcharts, respectively, showinga procedure to determine recommended values for welding conditions in athird exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The welding device and the method to determine welding conditions in thepresent exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.12A and 12B. The same components as in the first and second exemplaryembodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and hence thedescription thereof will be omitted. The present exemplary embodimentdiffers from the first and second exemplary embodiments mainly in theprocesses after the recommended values for welding conditions aredetermined based on the object-to-be-welded information and the weldingmethod information. In the first exemplary embodiment, the recommendedvalue Sr is changed to a new value for the leg length, and then newrecommended values for the other welding conditions are calculated. Inthe second exemplary embodiment, the recommended value vr is changed toa new value for the welding speed, and then new recommended values forthe other welding conditions are calculated. In the present thirdexemplary embodiment, on the other hand, both the recommended value Srfor the leg length and the recommended value vr for the welding speedare changed to new values, and then new recommended values for the otherwelding conditions are calculated.

The operator may sometimes change the displayed recommended value Sr forthe leg length and the displayed recommended value vr for the weldingspeed to the leg length S1 and the welding speed v2, respectively. Inthat case, the new recommended values for the welding current I, thewelding voltage V, the wire feed speed WF are determined and displayedas follows.

When the recommended values of the leg length S and the welding speed vare both changed to new values, the leg length S, which is an item todetermine the weld joint performance, is probably given priority overthe welding speed v. For this reason, the following is based on theassumption that the welding conditions are calculated according to thechange in the leg length S, and then according to the change in thewelding speed v.

First, the calculations of the welding conditions according to thechange in the recommended value Sr for the leg length are described asfollows. Note that the calculations of the welding conditions accordingto the change in the recommended value Sr for the leg length (the feedspeed calculation step S5, the current value calculation step S6, thevoltage value calculation step S7, and the quantity of heatdetermination step S8) are not repeated here because they are the sameas in the first exemplary embodiment. In these calculations, the weldingspeed v is not the new value v2 of the welding speed, but is therecommended value vr determined based on the object-to-be-weldedinformation set in the first step S1 as in the first exemplaryembodiment.

The welding device determines the recommended values for the otherwelding conditions to be the welding current I1, the recommended valuefor the welding voltage V1, and the wire feed speed WF1.

Similar to the first exemplary embodiment, the recommended values forthe other welding conditions are calculated after the determination ofwhether or not the leg length S1 is within the acceptable range (thequantity of heat determination step S8).

Next, the calculations of the welding conditions according to the changein the recommended value vr for the welding speed are described asfollows. Note that no description is given here about the calculationsof welding conditions according to the change in the recommended valuevr for the welding speed, or about the determination whether or not thewelding speed v exceeds the upper limit because they are the same as inthe second exemplary embodiment. Also note that the leg length S used inthese calculations is the after-change value S1 of the leg length in thesame manner as in the second exemplary embodiment.

The welding device determines the recommended values for the otherwelding conditions to be a welding current I12, a welding voltage V12,and a wire feed speed WF12.

Similar to the second exemplary embodiment, calculation unit 9calculates the recommended values for the other welding conditions afterdetermining whether or not the welding speed v2 is within the acceptablerange.

As described above, when the leg length is changed from the recommendedvalue Sr to the leg length S1, and the welding speed is changed from therecommended value vr to the welding speed v2, the welding devicecalculates the welding current I12, the welding voltage V12, and thewire feed speed WF12 as the recommended values for the other weldingconditions, and displays them on display unit 15 of setting device 5.The leg length S1 and the welding speed v2, which have replaced therecommended value for the leg length S and the recommended value for thewelding speed v, respectively, are displayed on display unit 15 ofsetting device 5.

Thus, the method to determine welding conditions includes, after thefourth step S4, the feed speed calculation step S5, the current valuecalculation step S6, the quantity of heat determination step S7, thequantity of heat calculation step S8, and the current value/voltagevalue calculation step S16.

When the leg length and the welding speed which are displayed as weldingconditions are changed to values different from the recommended valuesdetermined in the fourth step S4, the welding current I12 and thewelding voltage V12 calculated in the current value/voltage valuecalculation step S16 are determined to be the new recommended value ofthe welding current and the new recommended value for the weldingvoltage, respectively.

The feed speed calculation step S5 calculates the wire feed speed WF1from the after-change value S1 of the leg length and the recommendedvalue vr for the welding speed based on the formula for calculating thewire feed speed, which is in proportion to the square of the leg lengthand also in proportion to the welding speed.

The current value calculation step S6 calculates the welding current I1from the wire feed speed WF1 calculated in the feed speed calculationstep S5 based either on the formula for calculating the welding currentwhich increases with an increase in the wire feed speed, or on the tableshowing the relation between the wire feed speed and the weldingcurrent.

The voltage value calculation step S7 calculates the welding voltage V1from the welding current I1 calculated in the current value calculationstep S6 based either on the formula for calculating the welding voltagewhich increases with an increase in the welding current, or on the tableshowing the relation between the welding current and the weldingvoltage.

The quantity of heat determination step S8 determines the quantity ofarc heat Q1 from the welding current I1 calculated in the current valuecalculation step S6, the welding voltage V1 calculated in the voltagevalue calculation step S7, and the recommended value vr for the weldingspeed.

The current value/voltage value calculation step S16 calculates theintegrated value of the welding current and the welding voltage from thequantity of arc heat Q1 determined in the quantity of heat determinationstep S8 and the after-change value v2 of the welding speed based on theformula for calculating the quantity of arc heat. The currentvalue/voltage value calculation step S16 then calculates the newrecommended values for the welding current I and the welding voltage Vfrom the integrated value based on the relational expression or tableshowing the relation between the welding current and the weldingvoltage.

Thus, the welding current I12 and the welding voltage V12 calculated inthe current value/voltage value calculation step S16 are determined tobe the new recommended value for the welding current and the newrecommended value for the welding voltage, respectively.

The welding device and the method to determine welding conditionsaccording to the present third exemplary embodiment can determine therecommended values for the welding conditions which are suitable for theinformation about the object to be welded and the information about thewelding method set by the operator, and can display the recommendedvalues on display unit 15. The welding conditions include the weldingcurrent Ir, the welding voltage Vr, the wire feed speed WFr, the weldingspeed vr, and the leg length Sr. Furthermore, if the operator changesthe recommended value Sr for the leg length and the recommended value vrfor the welding speed to new values, the welding device and the methodcan determine new recommended values for the other welding conditionscompatible with the new values and display the new recommended values.This greatly reduces the operator's time and effort to determine thewelding conditions, and the amount of objects wasted through trial anderror.

Alternatively, the recommended values for welding conditions can becalculated by another approach as described below.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are first and second flowcharts, respectively showinga procedure to determine other recommended values for the weldingconditions in the third exemplary embodiment.

Thus, the method to determine welding conditions includes, after thefourth step S4, the feed speed calculation step S5, the current valuecalculation step S6, the quantity of heat determination step S8, and thevoltage value calculation step S27.

The feed speed calculation step S5 calculates the wire feed speed WF1 ifthe leg length and the welding speed displayed after the fourth step S4are both changed to values different from the recommended values. Thewire feed speed WF1 is calculated from the after-change value S1 of theleg length and the recommended value vr for the welding speed based onthe formula for calculating the wire feed speed.

The current value calculation step S6 calculates the welding current I1from the wire feed speed WF1 calculated in the feed speed calculationstep S5 based either on the formula for calculating the welding currentwhich increases with an increase in the wire feed speed, or on the tableshowing the relation between the wire feed speed and the weldingcurrent.

The quantity of heat determination step S8 determines the quantity ofarc heat Q1 from the welding current I1 calculated in the current valuecalculation step S6, the welding voltage V1 calculated from the weldingcurrent I1 based either on the formula for calculating the weldingvoltage or on the table showing the relation between the welding currentand the welding voltage, and the recommended value vr for the weldingspeed. The formula is used to calculate the welding voltage whichincreases with an increase in the welding current.

The voltage value calculation step S27 calculates the welding voltageV12 from the quantity of arc heat Q1 determined in the quantity of heatdetermination step S8, the after-change value v2 of the welding speed,and the welding current I1 calculated in the current value calculationstep S6 based on the formula for calculating the quantity of arc heat.The formula is used to calculate the quantity of arc heat, which is inproportion to the welding current and the welding voltage and is ininverse proportion to the welding speed.

When the displayed leg length and the displayed welding speed arechanged, the welding current I1 calculated in the current valuecalculation step S6, and the welding voltage V12 calculated in thevoltage value calculation step S27 are determined to be the newrecommended value for the welding current and the new recommended valuefor the welding voltage, respectively.

In the first through third exemplary embodiments, the operator entersthe object-to-be-welded information which is the information aboutobject 6 to the welding device in the first step S1. Theobject-to-be-welded information includes the material of object 6, theboard thicknesses of upper and lower boards 16 and 17 of object 6, theboard thickness T indicating the average board thickness of upper andlower boards 16 and 17, and the joint shape of object 6. At least oneitem of the information can be used as the object-to-be-weldedinformation.

The joint shape can be T joint, lap joint, butt joint, corner joint,edge joint, flare groove joint, etc.

In the first through third exemplary embodiments, the operator enterswelding method information, which is the information about the arcwelding method to the welding device in the second step S2. The weldingmethod information includes the following items: the use or non-use ofpulse welding in the arc welding, the pulse mode type, the shielding gastype, the extended length of the welding wire, the method forcontrolling the wire feed, the wire material, and the wire diameter. Atleast one item of the welding method information can be used.

The use or non-use of pulse welding means whether or not pulse weldingis used in the arc welding. The pulse mode type is selected from aplurality of pulse mode types. The shielding gas type is selected fromshielding gases used for welding such as CO₂ gas, 80% Ar-20% CO₂ gas, or98% Ar-2% CO₂ gas. The extended length of the welding wire means thedistance between the chip and the base material, and is individuallyset, for example, to 15 mm or 20 mm. The method for controlling the wirefeed means the setting mode of wire feed, such as continuous forwardfeeding or alternation of forward feeding and backward feeding. The wirematerial means the material of the welding wire, such as soft steel orstainless. The wire diameter means the diameter of the welding wire,such as φ 0.9 mm or φ 1.0 mm.

In the first through third exemplary embodiments, the recommended valuesfor the welding speed v, the welding current I, the welding voltage V,the wire feed speed WF, and the leg length S are calculated anddisplayed as the welding conditions based on the object-to-be-weldedinformation and the welding method information.

In the first exemplary embodiment, when the value of the leg length S ischanged, new recommended values for the welding speed v, the weldingcurrent I, the welding voltage V, and the wire feed speed WF arecalculated and displayed as the other welding conditions.

In the second exemplary embodiment, when the value of the welding speedv is changed, new recommended values for the welding current I, thewelding voltage V, the wire feed speed WF, and the leg length S arecalculated and displayed as the other welding conditions.

In the third exemplary embodiment, when the value of the leg length Sand the value of the welding speed v are changed, new recommended valuesfor the welding current I, the welding voltage V, and the wire feedspeed WF are calculated and displayed as the other welding conditions.

The operational program stored in storage unit 10 may have an itemcorresponding to the welding condition such as the welding current orthe welding voltage whose value has been calculated as a recommendedvalue or changed to a new value. In that case, control unit 8 changesthe value of the item in the operational program to the calculated ornewly set value so that welding can be performed with appropriatewelding conditions.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The method to determine welding conditions and the welding deviceaccording to the present invention, which can easily determine weldingconditions, are industrially useful for various objects to be welded.

REFERENCE MARKS IN THE DRAWINGS

-   -   1 wire    -   2 welding torch    -   3 manipulator    -   4 robot controller    -   5 setting device    -   6 object to-be-welded    -   7 welding power supply    -   8 control unit    -   9 calculation unit    -   10 storage unit    -   11 object-to-be-welded information input unit    -   12 welding method information input unit    -   13 leg length setting unit    -   14 welding speed setting unit    -   15 display unit    -   16 upper board    -   17 lower board

1. A method to determine welding conditions, comprising: a first step ofreceiving object-to-be-welded information, which is information about anobject to be welded; a second step of receiving welding methodinformation, which is information about an arc welding method; a thirdstep of determining a quantity of arc heat, which is a quantity of heatof an arc created between an electrode wire and an object to be weldedbased on the object-to-be-welded information and the welding methodinformation; a fourth step of determining a recommended value for a wirefeed speed, a recommended value for a leg length, a recommended valuefor a welding speed, a recommended value for a welding current, and arecommended value for a welding voltage based on the object-to-be-weldedinformation, the welding method information, and the quantity of archeat; a feed speed calculation step of, if at least one of the leglength and the welding speed which are displayed as welding conditionsafter the fourth step is changed to a value different from therecommended values determined in the fourth step, calculating the wirefeed speed from the after-change value, based on a formula forcalculating the wire feed speed, which is in proportion to a square ofthe leg length and also in proportion to the welding speed; a currentvalue calculation step of calculating the welding current from the wirefeed speed calculated in the feed speed calculation step based either ona formula for calculating the welding current, which increases with anincrease in the wire feed speed or on a table showing a relation betweenthe wire feed speed and the welding current; and a voltage valuecalculation step of calculating the welding voltage from the weldingcurrent calculated in the current value calculation step, wherein thewelding current calculated in the current value calculation step and thewelding voltage calculated in the voltage value calculation step aredetermined to be a new recommended value for the welding current and anew recommended value for the welding voltage, respectively.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the feed speed calculation step calculatesthe wire feed speed if the leg length displayed as a welding conditionafter the fourth step is changed to a value different from therecommended value for the leg length determined in the fourth step, thewire feed speed being calculated from the after-change value of the leglength and the recommended value for the welding speed based on theformula for calculating the wire feed speed; the voltage valuecalculation step calculates the welding voltage from the welding currentcalculated in the current value calculation step based either on aformula for calculating the welding voltage, which increases with anincrease in the welding current or on a table showing a relation betweenthe welding current and the welding voltage; and if the displayed leglength is changed, the welding current calculated in the current valuecalculation step and the welding voltage calculated in the voltage valuecalculation step are determined to be a new recommended value for thewelding current and a new recommended value for the welding voltage,respectively.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: a quantityof heat determination step of determining a quantity of arc heat fromthe welding current calculated in the current value calculation step;the welding voltage calculated in the voltage value calculation step,and the recommended value for the welding speed, wherein only when thequantity of arc heat determined in the quantity of heat calculation stepis within an acceptable range, the welding current calculated in thecurrent value calculation step and the welding voltage calculated in thevoltage value calculation step are determined to be a new recommendedvalue for the welding current and a new recommended value for thewelding voltage, respectively.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thefeed speed calculation step calculates the wire feed speed if thewelding speed displayed after the fourth step is changed to a valuedifferent from the recommended value for the welding speed, the wirefeed speed being calculated from the after-change value of the weldingspeed and the recommended value for the leg length based on the formulafor calculating the wire feed speed; the voltage value calculation stepcalculates the welding voltage from the quantity of arc heat determinedin the third step, the after-change value of the welding speed, and thewelding current calculated in the current value calculation step basedon a formula for calculating the quantity of arc heat, which is inproportion to the welding current and the welding voltage and is ininverse proportion to the welding speed; and if the displayed weldingspeed is changed to another value, the welding current calculated in thecurrent value calculation step and the welding voltage calculated in thevoltage value calculation step are determined to be a new recommendedvalue for the welding current and a new recommended value for thewelding voltage, respectively.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: a quantity of heat determination step of determining aquantity of arc heat, wherein the feed speed calculation step calculatesthe wire feed speed if the leg length and the welding speed displayedafter the fourth step are changed to values different from therecommended values, the wire feed speed being calculated from theafter-change value of the leg length and the recommended value for thewelding speed based on the formula for calculating the wire feed speed;the quantity of heat determination step determines the quantity of archeat from the welding current calculated in the current valuecalculation step, the welding voltage calculated from the weldingcurrent based either on a formula for calculating the welding voltagewhich increases with an increase in the welding current or on a tableshowing a relation between the welding current and the welding voltage,and the recommended value for the welding speed; the voltage valuecalculation step calculates the welding voltage from the quantity of archeat determined in the quantity of heat determination step, theafter-change value of the welding speed, and the welding currentcalculated in the current value calculation step, based on a formula forcalculating the quantity of arc heat, which is in proportion to thewelding current and the welding voltage and is in inverse proportion tothe welding speed; and if the displayed leg length and the displayedwelding speed are changed, the welding current calculated in the currentvalue calculation step and the welding voltage calculated in the voltagevalue calculation step are determined to be a new recommended value forthe welding current and a new recommended value for the welding voltage,respectively.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein when the after-changevalue of the leg length is outside an acceptable range, the feed speedcalculation step prevents the displayed leg length from being changed;and when the after-change value of the leg length is within theacceptable range, the feed speed calculation step calculates the wirefeed speed from the after-change value of the leg length and therecommended value for the welding speed based on the formula forcalculating the wire feed speed.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein whenthe after-change value of the welding speed is outside an acceptablerange, the voltage value calculation step prevents the displayed weldingspeed from being changed; and when the after-change value of the weldingspeed is within the acceptable range, the voltage value calculation stepcalculates the welding voltage from the quantity of arc heat determinedin the quantity of heat determination step, the after-change value ofthe welding speed, and the welding current calculated in the currentvalue calculation step, based on the formula for calculating thequantity of arc heat.
 8. A method to determine welding conditions,comprising: a first step of receiving object-to-be-welded information,which is information about an object to be welded; a second step ofreceiving welding method information, which is information about an arcwelding method; a third step of determining a quantity of arc heat,which is a quantity of heat of an arc created between an electrode wireand an object to be welded based on the object-to-be-welded informationand the welding method information; a fourth step of determining arecommended value for a wire feed speed, a recommended value for a leglength, a recommended value for a welding speed, a recommended value fora welding current, and a recommended value for a welding voltage basedon the object-to-be-welded information, the welding method information,and the quantity of arc heat; and a current value/voltage valuecalculation step of calculating the welding current and the weldingvoltage from an integrated value based on a relational expression ortable showing a relation between the welding current and the weldingvoltage if the welding speed displayed as a welding condition after thefourth step is changed to a value different from the recommended valuefor the welding speed, the integrated value being calculated from thealready-determined quantity of arc heat and the displayed after-changevalue of the welding speed based on a formula for calculating thequantity of arc heat, which is in proportion to the welding current andthe welding voltage and is in inverse proportion to the welding speed,wherein when the displayed welding speed is changed, the welding currentand the welding voltage calculated in the current value/voltage valuecalculation step are determined to be a new recommended value forwelding current and a new recommended value for the welding voltage,respectively.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: a feed speedcalculation step of calculating the wire feed speed from the weldingcurrent calculated in the current value/voltage value calculation stepbased on a relational expression or table showing a relation between thewelding current and the wire feed speed; and a leg length calculationstep of calculating the leg length from the wire feed speed calculatedin the wire feed speed calculation step.
 10. The method of claim 8,comprising: a feed speed calculation step of calculating the wire feedspeed if the leg length and the welding speed displayed as weldingconditions after the fourth step are changed to values different fromthe recommended values determined in the fourth step, the wire feedspeed being calculated from the after-change value of the leg length andthe recommended value for the welding speed based on the formula forcalculating the wire feed speed which is in proportion to a square ofthe leg length and also in proportion to the welding speed; a currentvalue calculation step of calculating the welding current from the wirefeed speed calculated in the feed speed calculation step based either ona formula for calculating the welding current, which increases with anincrease in the wire feed speed or on a table showing a relation betweenthe wire feed speed and the welding current; a voltage value calculationstep of calculating the welding voltage from the welding currentcalculated in the current value calculation step based either on aformula for calculating the welding voltage, which increases with anincrease in the welding current or on a table showing a relation betweenthe welding current and the welding voltage; and a quantity of heatdetermination step of determining the quantity of arc heat from thewelding current determined in the current value calculation step, thewelding voltage determined in the voltage value calculation step, andthe recommended value for the welding speed, wherein the currentvalue/voltage value calculation step calculates a new recommended valuefor the welding current and a new recommended value for the weldingvoltage from an integrated value based on a relational expression ortable showing a relation between the welding current and the weldingvoltage, the integrated value being calculated from the quantity of archeat determined in the quantity of heat calculation step and theafter-change value of the welding speed based on the formula forcalculating the quantity of arc heat; and the welding current and thewelding voltage calculated in the current value/voltage valuecalculation step are determined to be the new recommended value for thewelding current and the new recommended value for the welding voltage,respectively.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the object-to-be-weldedinformation includes at least one of the following items: a material, aboard thickness of an upper board, a board thickness of a lower board,an average board thickness of the upper and lower boards, and a jointshape.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the welding method informationincludes at least one of the following items: use or non-use of pulsewelding, pulse welding type, shielding gas type, an extended length ofthe wire, a method for controlling the wire feed, wire material, andwire diameter.
 13. A welding device comprising: an object-to-be-weldedinformation input unit to receive object-to-be-welded information, whichis information about an object to be welded; a welding methodinformation input unit to receive welding method information, which isinformation about an arc welding method; a quantity of arc heatdetermination unit to determine a quantity of heat of an arc createdbetween an electrode and a base material based on theobject-to-be-welded information and the welding method information; aleg length setting unit to change a leg length displayed as a weldingcondition to a value different from a recommended value for the leglength; a welding speed setting unit to change a welding speed displayedas a welding condition to a value different from a recommended value forthe welding speed; a calculation unit to perform calculations used inthe method of claim 1 to determine welding conditions; and a displayunit to display calculation results of the calculation unit.
 14. Thewelding device of claim 13, further comprising: a robot controller tocontrol a manipulator including a welding torch; a setting deviceconnected to the robot controller; and a welding power supply eitherconnected to the robot controller or disposed in the robot controller,the welding power supply performing a welding output, wherein the robotcontroller comprises: a storage unit to store an operational program tooperate the manipulator and the welding power supply; and a control unitto change the operational program stored in the storage unit, whereinthe control unit changes a value of the welding current, a value of thewelding voltage, and a value of the welding speed in the operationalprogram stored in the storage unit to the welding current, the weldingvoltage, and the welding speed calculated in the calculation unit. 15.The method of claim 8, wherein the object-to-be-welded informationincludes at least one of the following items: a material, a boardthickness of an upper board, a board thickness of a lower board, anaverage board thickness of the upper and lower boards, and a jointshape.
 16. The method of claim 8, wherein the welding method informationincludes at least one of the following items: use or non-use of pulsewelding, pulse welding type, shielding gas type, an extended length ofthe wire, a method for controlling the wire feed, wire material, andwire diameter.